Ike DIke-style storm plan gets the ok
By Mary Alys Cherry
It’s Been severAl yeArs in the making, but at long last we have a Storm Surge Protection Plan, which some might call the Ike Dike on Steroids.
The Gulf Coast Community Protection and Recovery District or GCCPRD has released the longawaited Phase 3 of its 30-month Storm Surge Suppression Study of the six-county region that was devastated by Hurricane Ike in 2008 and is most vulnerable to storm surge.
It includes a large navigation gate across the mouth of Galveston Bay. As Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership Executive Director of Special Initiatives Dan Seal said, it is “essentially what we have known as Dr. Bill Merrell’s ‘Ike Dike’ -- to wit, a spinal levee/ dune/seawall barrier extending 55 miles from High Island to San Luis Pass” with a large navigation gate linking Bolivar Peninsula and Galveston Island and comprised of 25 vertical lift gates and a navigation opening for ships to traverse the Houston Ship Channel.
The plan was strongly favored by the several hundred local residents attending a public forum on the subject at the League City Civic Center March 22.
The plan also calls for an additional, much smaller navigation gate (maybe even an inflatable structure which only arises from the seafloor when needed) at the entrance to Clear Lake at Kemah plus a modified Galveston ring levee (which
“the time has come to move beyond concepts and feasibility studies and begin preliminary engineering design and construction of the system.”
affords additional protection to the commercially developed east side of Galveston Island from potential backside surge flooding from the north from Offatts Bayou).
The Galveston ring levee would ring, or surround, the east side of the Island and is separate and apart from the existing Galveston wall.
“The results of the study,” the GCCPRD said, “clearly illustrate the need for a storm surge protection system in the sixcounty region to mitigate current and future risks to the public, the economy, and the environment. The recommendations put forward in this report establish a framework for a plan and serve as a call to action for local, state, and federally elected officials to become advocates for coastal protection.
“The time has come to move beyond concepts and feasibility studies and begin preliminary engineering design and construction of the system. The solution is actionable provided there is the will at the local, state, and federal level to make the necessary strategic investments. Until the full system is built, the entire region will remain at risk to surge flooding from tropical events.”
While the plan provides a dramatic reduction in overall surge, there will still be heavily populated areas that can expect to experience four to 12 feet of surgerelated flooding the GCCPRD warned.
“The addition of the Galveston
ring levee and a navigation gate at Clear Lake, to the coastal spine will enhance protection for the City of Galveston, Seabrook, Taylor Lake Village, El Lago, Clear Lake Shores and Kemah. With the coastal spine in place, the structure design elevation for the modified Galveston ring levee is expected to be in the 12 to 15 feet range, which is much lower than the 23 feet originally proposed,“ the GCCPRD said.
The plan is broken down into three regional alternatives with the Coastal Spine plan -long advocated by Texas A&M Galveston officials and dozens of area city councils -- suggested for the Central Region, which stretches 55 miles from High Island in the north to San Luis Pass in the south, with a Galveston Ring Levee and the navigation gate structure, which can be closed when a hurricane approaches.
Total cost of the coastal protection plan is $11.6 billion, the GCCPRD said, noting that “the total damage caused by Hurricane Ike alone was over $30 billion.”
“The upper Texas coast,” it added, “has a population of more than 6 million people, generates over 31 percent of the state’s $1.4 trillion gross domestic product and has a significant role in our nation’s energy industry and our national security. In comparison, the federal government invested $14.5 billion in hurricane protection for New Orleans…to protect a population of 900,000 people.”
Phase 4 of the study will include environmental studies, public outreach and update damage curves for petrochemical facilities.
The GCCPRD was formed by Harris, Galveston, Brazoria, Chambers, Jefferson and Orange Counties to determine how coastal communities can reduce the damaging impact of future storms. The study is being funded by the Texas General Land Office through a $3.9 million HUD block grant.
By Mary Alys Cherry
tIred of sIttIng Around the house doing nothing?
Getting so bored you wish you were back in school? Well, now you can be. No, not with the teeny boppers – real college, at the nearby University of Houston-Clear Lake, no less.
UHCL’s College of Human Sciences and Humanities is beginning a new program – a series of lectures on interesting topics. You can enjoy learning just for the sake of learning.
Best of all, there will be no homework and no tests!
An introductory meeting is scheduled Friday, Aug. 26 in the UHCL cafeteria from 9 to 11 a.m., giving those attending an opportunity to learn about the lectures that will be held weekly on Friday mornings for six weeks, beginning Friday, Sept. 23.
The kickoff in August will afford people the opportunity to hear about the lectures and meet many of the presenters. Registration will take place that day or can be done online by going to www.uhcl.edu/fl Then click on Friday Morning CE. Actually, you can attend two lectures a week. One will be presented from 9 to 10:30 a.m. and then participants can choose between two different lectures held from 11 to 12:30. Among the topics are Cuba at the Crossroads, Amazon River Preview, Is the Civil War Really Over, Do Insects “Bug”You,? Victorians and Vampires and Love and Light: Medieval Women Writers. Cost to join the program is $26. Cost for each lecture is $18. For additional information, contact Christine Paul at Paul@UHCL. edu or Ellen King at ehking@ sbcglobal.net
‘TeeTH
iN A DAy’
FInAlly, “Teeth is a day” is a predictable and affordable reality. It is estimated that more than 35 million Americans, due to various reasons, have lost their teeth and are reluctant to wear a removable appliance in order to be able to eat.
The story doesn’t end here. Unfortunately, it gets worse. These removable appliances do not exactly replace lost natural teeth. They do not feel natural and certainly have fallen far short of being able to replace natural teeth. However, due to lack of any other real option, they have been used for centuries. Dental implants revolutionized the field and, for the first time, allowed false teeth to remain anchored to the jaw bone. Aside from tremendous stability that rivaled natural teeth, the dentures. have traditionally been constructed bulky in order to keep them from sliding while chewing. Your dental Implantologist can now eliminate the bulk of these dentures and make them as small as natural teeth since there is no longer any need for saddling the denture over gum area. They also enable the patient to preserve his or her jaw bone volume by stimulating them while eating, similar to natural teeth.
Over the past two decades, dental implantology continued its ground breaking advancement. The introduction of 3D CT imaging and virtual presurgical treatment planning has made dental implants highly predictable.
Traditional implant techniques have rightfully leaned on the side of over-caution.
Histological studies suggested an incubation period of several months between surgically placement of dental implants and exposing them to jaw forces will increase the success ratio. In the absence of adequate bone volume, the procedure could take as long as a year or more to complete.
In 1990, Dr. Paulo Malo of Portugal offered a new technique called “Teeth in a day.” He aimed to simplify and shorten the process. While some mavericks
“Twenty-two years later, this technique has been time tested and proven to be very reliable.”
adopted his technique early on, many dental surgeons (including myself) chose to wait and see the long term results. Twenty-two years later, this technique has been time tested and proven to be very reliable.
Teeth in a day requires a personalized plan and is not for everyone. Every patient is unique and there is no “one treatment fits all” approach when it comes to permanent-fixedtoothreplacement. If you are interested in leaving your teeth trouble in your rear view mirror, please contact Unicare Center for Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry at 281-332-4700 to schedule a personal complimentary consultation with Dr. Noie. You will receive a personal consultation, taking your unique situation under consideration.
Dr. Noie has been in private practice in the Bay Area since 1996. He is a Diplomate of Int’l Congress of Oral Implantologists, Fellow of Academy of General Dentistry, and Assoc. Fellow of American Academy of Implant Dentistry. He has completed his surgical training at New York University as well as Medical University of South Carolina, Temple University, and Wright state University School of Medicine. He completed his oral Anesthesiology training at University of Alabama in Birmingham. He is a member of American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.
Movers &Shakers
Name: Roger Guenther
Occupation: Executive Director – Port of Houston Authority
Hometown: Baytown
Current home: Pearland
Family: Wife, Fabiana; son, Tyler; daughter, Emily
My favorite writer is: Donald Miller
Bay Area pet AdoptIons
a no kIll shelter
trixie is a joyful kitten with a lovely silver and white tabby coat. she was born in october 2015, so she’s just shy of a year. trixie is quite curious and easily amused with new toys, though she always appreciates a classic catnip mouse! her favorite activities include exploring new cat towers, tunnels, and cardboard boxes. Consider adopting trixie so an additional shelter spot will open up for another cat in need.
Check out all of the deserving dogs and cats available for adoption at www. bayareapetadoptions.org or visit the facility at 3000 avenue r, san leon. the shelter is open every day except Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. some adoptable cats can be seen daily at petsmart (1921 gulf FWy south in Dickinson). Dogs are shown at petsmart on saturdays 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. and sundays noon - 4 p.m. Bay area pet adoptions is this area’s only non-profit, no-kill shelter, pet rescue, and adoption organization.
Call 281-339-2086 to reach the shelter.
If I could switch places with someone for just one day, I’d choose: J.J. Watt
My favorite performers are: Jimmy Buffet, Jerry Jeff Walker
I like to spend my leisure time: Outdoors -- Hunting/Fishing/Golfing… but I don’t do it enough
If I could travel any place, I’d go to: Australia
My favorite meal is: Ribeye (medium rare) and a baked potato
sophia loren tops grand’s busy season
As A preMIer entertainment showplace for acclaimed international stars, iconic American artists, and celebrated regional performers, The Grand 1894 Opera House in Galveston continues to produce an annual performing arts season that delivers “living in the moment” entertainment experiences that capture the imagination of its audiences.
During The Grand’s 2016-2017 season, one of the world’s greatest movie stars, Sophia Loren, will share her stories about Hollywood and motion pictures, live on stage. Ben Vereen, and the Queen of Country Music Loretta Lynn will fill The Grand with their amazing talents, as will long time favorites Chubby Checker, Jerry Jeff Walker and the Oak Ridge Boys. Be part of The Grand’s audience during the live taping of the Texas Tenors in Concert, which will be the trio’s second national PBS Special.
As a youngster, I wanted to grow up to be: A professional basketball player
You’ll never catch me: Wearing burnt orange
The thing that bugs me the most is: Traffic
My favorite movie is: And Justice for All (Al Pacino)
Few people know: I love to cook
The season also includes some of the best in Broadway, holiday shows, comedy, and eyepopping new productions embracing a thrilling mix of music, movement and spectacle. Subscription packages are available now. Contact The Grand’s box office at 409.765.1894, 800.821.1894, or visit The Grand at www. thegrand.com. Non-subscription single tickets (if available) will be on sale beginning Aug. 29 at 9 a.m.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, The Grand 1894 Opera House is located at 2020 Postoffice Street in Galveston’s historic downtown Cultural Arts District, and is recognized as “The Official Opera House of the State of Texas.” All major credit cards are accepted.
CleAr lAKe sHores CIvIC CluB presents BARKTOBERFEST on Saturday, Oct. 15 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. benefitting Bay Area Pet Adoptions. The location is Jarboe Bayou Park, 815 Birch Road in Clear Lake Shores. Save the date for a pet-friendly day at the park. There will be a silent auction, dog shows, kids activities, pet competitions, local vendors, pet products and more! Octoberfest food, drink and music will make this a truly festive fest! Visit CLSCivicClub.com/Barktoberfest for more information, schedule of events, vendor applications, schedule of events and entry forms.
south West International Boat show gears up for inaugural fall show
the region’s largest in-water boat show allows buyers to see boats in their element
For tHe fIrst tIMe, the Southwest International Boat Show, the largest in-water boat show in the Southwest, and the premier sail and power show for new and pre-owned vessels, will hold a fall show Sept. 23-25, at South Shore Harbour Marina on Clear Lake in League City.
Like the annual Spring show, the fall event will feature boats ranging in size from 10 feet to more than 100 feet, both freshwater and saltwater, ready for boarding and viewing, with end of season specials and dealer incentive programs available on many models.
“This is a perfect time to see these incredible vessels up close and in their element,” President of the South West International Boat Show Peter Bryant says. “Being able to see how a yacht
or sailboat performs in water allows interested buyers to learn so much more about the vessel than seeing it on a trailer or showroom floor can ever do.”
Onshore, live music will provide entertainment, children of all ages can participate in remote control boat races and more than 200 vendors will offer a variety of services and products for the boating and outdoor lifestyle, including fishing gear, engines, apparel and outdoor equipment, in addition to a full range of marine electronics, sailing
gear, accessories and hardware from top industry names. Dealers and manufacturers will also be on hand to provide valuable information and answer any questions.
Show highlights include onwater boat handling lessons for all experience levels, taught by U.S. Coast Guard licensed captains.
Once again a comprehensive seminar program, featuring FREE hourly seminars for Boat Show attendees will be offered across the three days of the show. These entertaining and educational seminars
are hosted by industry experts, authors and world travelers, and cover a wide variety of topics from visiting Mexico by private boat, financing your yacht, small engine maintenance, understanding marine weather and women on the water.
The event also offers the “Let the Fin Begin” Party on Sept. 24, sponsored by LandShark Lager.
show dates and Hours: Friday, Sept. 23: 12 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 24: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 25: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
For the first time, all tickets are $10 (under 15 are free). Parking is free with complimentary shuttle buses available for overflow parking on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are available online at: www. southwestinternationalboatshow.com.
South Shore Harbour Resort will again offer a Boat Show Package with double room, breakfast and two tickets to the boat show. For more information visit: www. southwestinternationalboatshow.com
BAHEP celebrates 40 years of working on behalf of the people of Bay Area Houston
By Kathryn paradis
OnCe founded, an organization evolves to become a reflection of its employees, of its board of firectors or trustees, and of the communities it serves. this evolution has been particularly evident for the Bay area houston economic partnership, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2016.
over the course of four decades, Bahep has transitioned through four distinct phases. Its Formative years encompassed 1976 – 1991. the next phase, Building the Foundation, occurred during 1992 –2001. regional leadership followed from 2002 – 2008. since 2009, Bahep has been recognized for its expanding Influence.
From the very beginning, Bahep has exemplified the words abraham lincoln used in his gettysburg address. It has been an organization “of the people, by the people, and for the people.” a look at Bahep ’s history will explain why this economic development organization has always been about the region’s people.
formative years
1976 – 1991
In late 1975 and early 1976, the area promotion Committee of the Clear lake Chamber of Commerce worked on a proposal to create, fund, and implement an organized area advertising and public relations program. Committee Chairman herb harman with rockwell International reported that the committee had
determined that the best course of action would be to establish an economic development foundation. the rest, as they say, is history. the charter meeting of the Clear lake economic Development Foundation, referred to generally as the Foundation, was held on aug. 26, 1976. the name was later changed to the Clear lake area economic Development Foundation, or ClaeDF, which was rebranded in 2003 as the Bay area houston economic partnership.
as with many fledgling organizations, it took time for the Foundation to firmly establish its roots in the soil of the Clear lake region. that changed in the mid1980s. With a desire to protect the local aerospace industry, while diversifying the business base to include other industries, community leaders began an initiative to create a more traditional, free-standing economic development organization separate from the chamber.
With this new wind filling its sails, ClaeDF began to build momentum, and, in January 1985, the organization hired its first executive director, stephen l. sandstedt. larry griffin, a retired air Force colonel, succeeded sandstedt as executive director in august 1988. roy pezoldt took the reins in June 1990 as president and director of ClaeDF. pezoldt had retired in may 1990 from Friendswood Development Co. after 34 years of service.
Building the foundation 1992 – 2001
July 1992 marked the beginning of a new era for ClaeDF when Jim reinhartsen became president.
Before joining ClaeDF, he was the general manager of the grumman houston Corp., a subsidiary of grumman aerospace, where he had worked since 1963.
In the years following reinhartsen’s arrival, the Foundation formed ellington Field task Force to focus efforts on ellington Field and the aviation industry. ClaeDF created the saVe JsC Campaign, which retained 7,000 engineering jobs that nasa headquarters had slated to move out of the community. In 1998, the space alliance technology outreach program was created. satop is a service designed to provide the private sector, and especially small businesses, with free, rapid technical assistance and the transfer of space technology. over 3,000 requests have been processed since the program’s inception, and more than 2,500 solutions have been provided.
regional leadership
2002 – 2008
on may 14, 2003, the Clear lake area economic Development Foundation changed course with the unveiling of its new name – the Bay area houston economic partnership.
“as much as we would like to be called Clear lake, most people don’t have a clue where Clear lake is,” said reinhartsen. the designation “Bay area houston” would leave little doubt as to location. the name change set the stage for the region and Bahep to take its place on the global map. the ink was barely dry on the name change paperwork when Bahep collaborated with house majority leader tom Delay to
ensure that nasa’s Johnson space Center would continue to be the home of future human space flight programs.
Bahep expanded its reach regionally by playing a pivotal role in two major expansion projects in 2004: kuraray announced a $150 million expansion project in pasadena, and kaneka broke ground on a new plant in Bayport. much like raising children, in economic development it sometimes takes years to see the fruits of one’s labor. this was the case with project lifesaver, a prospect that Bahep began working in late 2007 when Bahep arranged a tour of the old Coast guard facility with Congressman nick lampson. that successful first meeting led to a relocation feasibility study and mandatory alternative site evaluation. the winning location was announced at ellington on aug. 12, 2011, with the final product, the U.s. Coast guard sector houstongalveston building, completed in early 2013. the building contains 117,000 square feet and cost approximately $55 million. It houses a 24-hour operational workforce of approximately 300 who assist the Coast guard and port partners in response efforts throughout texas and southwest louisiana.
Bob mitchell joined the organization in June 2001 to oversee the statewide implementation of satop. key elements of mitchell’s work experience were gained during 15 years as an executive at a Fortune 500 company where he directed all production, engineering and material operations for the houston facility. Due to his leadership and highly
successful program management with satop, mitchell was named president-elect of Bahep in the fall of 2007. he assumed the presidency on Jan. 1, 2008.
that year proved to be a watershed moment for Bahep when hurricane Ike caused widespread devastation on sept. 13, 2008. Four days later, Bahep called a mayors press Conference where mayors of Bahep ’s member cities and other officials, in a televised event, were able to inform citizens of the status of each city. Bahep worked closely with Fema to arrange briefings for local government officials and affected citizens and hosted a meeting between Bay area houston mayors, regional leaders and Fema administrator r. David paulison, as well.
hurricane Ike changed the landscape of the region and also redefined Bahep ’s role in regional leadership to encompass much more than marketing the area to primary businesses.
expanding Influence
2009 – present Bahep ’s International maritime advisory Committee was formed in 2008 to support, advise and advocate on matters relating to the region’s maritime industry. Bahep, through ImaC, led the formation of the Bay area Coastal protection alliance, a coalition providing leadership to advance storm surge protection models to protect the region from devastating hurricanes. additionally, ImaC collaborated with the port of houston authority maritime academy Curriculum Committee to develop a high school
maritime curriculum for pasadena Independent school District. ImaC later facilitated the development of maritime education curricula for additional school districts and area community colleges.
When the Fy 2011 federal budget virtually eliminated nasa’s Constellation program, Bahep exhibited leadership on a national scale. Its activities included: 34 speaking engagements, four trips to Washington, 111 appearances in print and electronic media, 57 interviews on broadcast media, the creation of 15 documents, sending outreach
regional aerospace leaders about pumps & pipes, a one-of-a-kind collaborative between medicine and oil and gas, two of houston’s largest industries. this initiative is designed to explore crossover ideas and technologies with the potential to revolutionize key sectors of the local economy. subsequently, the pumps & pipes organization invited houston’s aerospace industry to join this collaborative effort. the aerospace community’s participation in pumps & pipes is paying dividends to the Bay area houston region as new innovative product designs and
letters to 60 economic development organizations and chambers across america, a weekly conference call for 29 consecutive weeks with federal elected officials and the mayor of houston’s office to develop a strategy and maintain a consistent message. Bahep ’s goBoldly campaign sent almost 62,000 letters from 50 states and a dozen countries to congressional representatives and the administration in support of nasa’s human space flight exploration program.
that same year also presented Bahep an amazing opportunity to facilitate a relationship between the medical, oil and gas and aerospace industries. early in 2012, Bahep invited Dr. alan lumsden, medical director of the methodist DeBakey heart & Vascular Center at the methodist hospital, to address
business initiatives are created.
Bahep provided national leadership during the 2013 crisis when the federal government entered a shutdown from oct. 1-16 and curtailed most routine operations. as a result of this, Johnson space Center closed except for 100 federal and a very limited number of contractor employees needed to support the space station. Bahep quickly called a meeting of aerospace executives to determine a common message to disseminate to the media. Bahep developed a white paper that was seen across the nation and referenced by Aviation Week and USA Today the government shutdown ended soon thereafter.
Water continued to play a major role in Bahep ’s work. a study commissioned by harris County found that changes in flood
loss of area real estate value in excess of $270,000,000. In august 2013, Bahep hosted over 50 representatives from cities within Brazoria, harris and galveston counties for an urgent discussion about actions that needed to be taken. Bahep continued collaboration with national organizations and had on-going discussions with elected officials at all levels of government. In march 2014, the homeowner Flood Insurance affordability act of 2014 was signed into law, making significant changes reversing BW-12. Bahep was a vital participant in initial developmental meetings regarding the inaugural spaceCom Conference that was held at houston’s george r. Brown Convention Center in november 2015 and continued to be engaged throughout the process. the hugely successful event hosted 1,700 attendees from 23 countries and 37 states and featured 100 exhibitors.
In June 2015, the Federal aviation administration awarded the houston airport system a license making ellington airport the 10th commercial spaceport in the nation. Bahep assisted the houston airport system in the early planning and future implementation of its houston spaceport development plan.
six hundred years ago geoffrey Chaucer wrote, “time and tide wait for no man.” neither does economic development. Bahep is expanding its influence regionally, across texas, nationally and internationally by working on
(Continued on page 20)
tourism and transportation; the impact of the 2016 Water resources Development act on texas ports; providing the leadership to support a fully-funded nasa budget; hosting international trade delegations; monitoring the Biggert-Waters flood insurance program, which is due for congressional reauthorization in 2017; and storm surge protection for the upper texas gulf Coast.
during each meeting of the texas legislature to advocate for economic development priorities.
In Conclusion
the Clear lake area economic Development Foundation was just an aspiration, a proposal from the area promotion Committee of the Clear lake area Chamber of Commerce 40 years ago. the initiative took flight, at first slowly, until the mid 1980s when support from “the people” affirmed the purpose and the future of the organization.
(to read the unabbreviated version of this article, visit Bahep ’s website at www.bayareahouston.com and click on the Bahep history icon on the home page. kathryn paradis is Bahep ’s communications manager.) (Continued
Bahep will also continue its work regarding education and workforce development. since 2009, members of Bahep, the Clear lake area Chamber of Commerce and industry partners have traveled to austin
now, the Bay area houston economic partnership has become a
standard of economic development in action. Bahep president Bob mitchell explained, “the entire Bahep team does many things very well. our pursuit of economic development opportunities to recruit, retain, expand and create businesses and to build new industry clusters has been outstanding. But, I think where Bahep ’s legacy will rest is in its ability to bring people to the table to accomplish things many thought impossible.
“We have acted as a facilitator countless times among elected officials, individuals, groups, and organizations. We’ve been very
successful, but none of it would ever have been possible without the people who have made Bahep what it is today. our chairmen, boards and past presidents, our members, staff, the community, our founders from the Clear lake area Chamber of Commerce – they are all a part of the history and the future of this remarkable organization.
CLAEDF/BAHEP chairmen through the past 40 years
By Mary Alys Cherry
THe fIrst tHree Men who served as chairmen of the Clear Lake Economic Development Foundation, were all outstanding individuals, as have been those who followed them through the years.
Dr. Louis Rodriguez was the first to head the CLAEDF Board, serving in 1976-77 while he was vice chancellor and provost at the University of HoustonClear Lake, before leaving to become president of Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas, for the next decade.
Clear Lake businessman Herb Harman, general manager of U.S. Operations for Riley’s Datashare International, who earlier spent 15 years with Rockwell International as vice president and a member of the Apollo team, took the reins and served in the post until his death five years later – the longest tenure of any chairman in the organization’s history.
Robert K. Scott, president of the Nassau Bay National Bank and another well liked businessman who had served as president of Space Center Rotary and chairman of the Clear Lake Area Chamber, became chairman of the CLAEDF Board of Directors after Harman’s death.
THE CHAirmEn THrougH THE yEArs:
1976-1977: Dr. Louis Rodriguez
1978-1983: Herb Harman
1983-1986: Bob Scott
1987-1988: Roy Pezoldt
1989: Jerry Bostick
1990: Aaron Schein
1991-1993: Fred Griffin
1994: Joe Barlow
1995: Dr. Glynn Lunney
1996: Rose Zarcaro
1997: Tom Brooker
1998: Gordon Hutmacher
1999: Jim Adamson
2000: Sandy Johnson
2001: Dennis Petersen
2002: Gale Burkett
2003-2004: Dr. William Staples
2005: Sandy Johnson
2006: Mike McCulley
2007: Richard E. Allen Jr.
2008: Dr. Bernard A. Milstein
2009: Lon F. Miller
2010: Dennis Petersen
2011: Robert Ellis
2012: Richard E. Allen Jr.
2013: Stephen K. Jones Jr.
2014: Dr. Brenda Hellyer
2015: Victor Pierson
2016: John Elbon
Dr. louis rodriguez
herb harman
Bob scott
past Bahep board chairmen and officers get together with president Jim reinhartsen, center back, at a Quasar Banquet. they are, from left, Dr. ned Dudney, tom Brooker, Fred griffin, reinhartsen, Joe Barlow, rose Zarcaro, robert scott and glynn lunney.
Five who played key roles in making BAHEP a success
Five men have held the top job of president of the Bay Area Houston economic Partnership over the past 40 years – men of strong character who have worked long hours to make it the success it is today.
By Mary Alys Cherry
THe fIrst presIdent was a young man from Michigan, Stephen L. Sandstedt, who had just finished eight years of packaging economic development programs, including a 100-acre Technology Research Park in East Lansing. He joined what was then known as the Clear Lake Area Economic Foundation on Jan. 2, 1985 to help it stand on its own feet and to spearhead efforts to attract new business to the fast-growing Clear Lake area, home of NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
The economic development specialist quickly put his experience in urban planning and community development to work in getting the Clear Lake Area Economic Foundation off to a excellent start.
And, while the Clear Lake Chamber had provided office space and administrative support beforehand, CLAEDF began adding staff – a staff secretary and a marketing director in its new quarters on Bay Area as the
“Bob Mitchell, bringing some 15 years experience as a director at Grumman Houston, joined the organization in 2001 to oversee the highly successful statewide implementation of SATOP (Space Alliance Technology Outreach Program).”
young organization took on more and more projects.
Larry Griffin, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel and twin brother of Johnson Space Center Director Gerry Griffin was the second CLAEDF president, taking the job in August 1988 when Standstedt left.
Griffin guided the foundation for two years before submitting his resignation so he could pursue a career as a novelist, while also continuing to work with CLAEDF on aerospace marketing.
Another well known businessman stepped in to guide the organization – Roy Pezoldt, who was retiring as vice president and project manager of the Friendswood Development Corp., which he had joined in 1970 after 14 years with Exxon. “It sounded like an opportunity I couldn’t afford to pass us,” said Pezoldt, who was quite familiar with CLAEDF after earlier serving as chairman of its board of directors.
“There isn’t a better person for the job,” Griffin said at the time, noting that Pezoldt helped develop Clear Lake City and was known as Mr. Clear Lake.
When Pezoldt retired in 1992, the search committee headed by Dr. Ned Dudney and Fred Griffin, chose Grumman Houston General Manager Jim Reinhartsen, whose background in aerospace would be of great assistance in the area’s ongoing battle
for space exploration funding, along with his extensive contacts in the petrochemical field.
“We’re trying to broaden the field,” Griffin said at the time, adding that CLAEF wanted to expand into manufacturing and petrochemicals. He not only broadened the foundation’s field, he greatly increased its membership and began a number of initiatives that live on today – years after his retirement in 2008 – including changing the foundation’s name to Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership.
Bob Mitchell, bringing some 15 years experience as a director at Grumman Houston, joined the organization in 2001 to oversee the highly successful statewide implementation of SATOP (Space Alliance Technology Outreach Program). He was elected president on the retirement of Reinhartsen Jan. 1, 2008. Through the years, he has fought to keep jobs at the Johnson Space Center and led a number of initiatives such as storm surge protection for coastal residents and businesses, joining the fight to get Congress to revamp its BiggertWaters flood insurance bill that would have hiked flood insurance to unprecedented heights and assisting the Houston Airport System in planning for a Spaceport at nearby Ellington Airport.
stephen l sandstedt larry griffin roy pezoldt Jim reinhartsen Bob mitchell
BAHEP Qu A s A r Aw A rd winn E rs
• 1994: Texas Gov. Ann Richards
• 1995: U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay
• 1996: U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson
• 1997: Johnson Space Center Director George W. S. Abbey
• 1998: U.S. Rep. Nick Lampson
• 1999: Harris County Judge Robert eckels and Galveston County Judge Jim yarbrough
• 2000: Robert L. Moody Sr.
• 2001: Houston Mayor Lee P. Brown
• 2002: Harris County Commissioner Jim Fonteno
• 2003: House Majority Leader Tom DeLay
• 2004: Harris County Commissioner Sylvia R. Garcia
• 2005: President of UTMB-Galveston Dr. John Stobo
• 2006: Houston Mayor Bill White
• 2007: NASA Administrator Dr. Michael Griffin
• 2008: UHCL President Dr. William A. Staples
• 2009: Johnson Space Center Director Michael L. Coats
• 2010: Texas State Rep. Craig eiland
• 2011: U. S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison
• 2012: U. S. Sen. John Cornyn
• 2013: Fred Griffin, owner and co-chairman, Griffin Partners, inc.
• 2014: Dr. Renu Khator, chancellor, University of Houston System, president, University of Houston
• 2015: Dr. Bill Merrell, George P. Mitchell ‘40 Chairman in Marine Sciences, Texas A&M University at Galveston
• 2016: Dr. Greg Smith, superintendent, Clear Creek independent School District
CLAE d F/BAHEP EXEC u T i VE A nd BOA rd MEMBE rs
Vance Ablott
Jim Adamson
Daniel W. Agnew
Mary Ainslie
Claudette Alderman
Gerry Allen
James W. “Chip” Allen
Richard Allen
Richard e. Allen Jr.
Linda Amador-Stephens
Phillip Anderson
Tom Arnsmeyer
Randall Ashby
Jay Banks
Joe Dee Barlow
Frank L. Barnes
Virginia Barnes
Raymond Bartlette
Shirley Battey
Barry Beasley
Bob Benware
Robert Bergbower
Winston Bernich
Mike Bloomfield
Genie Bopp
Jerry Bostick
Jennifer Bowers
Sam Boyd Jr.
ed Briggs
John Brock
Thomas Brooker
G. Brown
Chad Burke
Gale e. Burkett
ed Burrow
Don Burrows
Marilyn Burt
edwin Carle
Jeffrey e. Carr
Robert Carter
Coletta Castleschouldt
Dick Chandler
Bill J. Chen
J.D. Cherry
Mary Alys Cherry
Robert Chuoke
Wayne Clark
Dr. Gary Clay
Lonnie Clement
Brent Cockerham
Richard A. Cole
F.J. Coleman, Jr.
Hank Coleman
Greg Collins
John Collins
Mike Collins
Thomas Cones
ellen engleman Conners
Mark Conrad
John Cook
Michael L. Cornett
Kathy Covey
Richard Covey
Ron Cox
Mark Craig
John T. Creden
Ron Crowder
Darren Crowell
Ruby Cubley
Frank L. Culbertson, Jr.
David Cullum
Wm. Theodore Cummings
Robert Curbeam, Jr.
James Dalton
William e. Dalton, Jr.
Marjorie Daniels
George Davis
Henry Davis
Mike Dawkins
Dave Ditto
Rosalind Doyle
Robert Drenth
Dr. Ned Dudney
Brian Duffy
Roy L. Dye Jr.
Amanda eaves
Lisa ehrler
Robert elberger
John elbon
Jim elder
Bob ellis
Richard ellis
Connie elston
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Wayne esser
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Gordon Fasbender
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Greg Fleming
James Fonteno Jr.
John Francis
Linda Francis
Tommy Frankovich
Marcy Fryday
Mike Furin
Susan H. Garman
Randy Gartz
Stew Gibbons
Bud Giesinger
Frans Gillebaard
Joe Gillespie
Mark Gittleman
Dr. Glenn Goerke
Jeff Golden
Lloyd Graham
Ray Graham, Jr.
Dick H. Gregg, Jr.
Darrell Griffin
Fred B. Griffin
Gwen D. Griffin
Larry Griffin
Charles F. Hall, Jr.
Walter G. Hall, Sr.
Jim B. Hargrove
Carol Harman
Herb Harman
Cindy Harreld-DeWease
Scott Hartwig
Marcus Havican
eileen Hawley
Gregory Hayes
Homer “Butch” Hayes
Brenda Hellyer
Joe Henkel
Scott Hermstein
Thomas F. Heyse
Rick Hieb
Tricia Holland
James F. Horton, Jr.
Ralph Howard
Stephen Hudson
Walt Huff
Mike Huss
Gordon Hutmacher
James incalcaterra
Cheryl irving
Richard Jackson
Charles A. Jacobson
Larry Jensen
Bobbie Jessie
B. Johnson
Joan Johnson
Sandy Johnson
Richard S. Johnston
Carol Jones
Jerry Jones
Robert A. Jones
Stephen K. Jones, Jr.
Charles M. Jordan
Robert Julian
Ron Kapche
John Karl
Michael Kearney
Don Kelly
W. H. Kelly, Jr.
John D. Kennedy
Carole Kerker
George Kersels
Dave Kersten
Joseph Kerwin
Mike Kincaid
William e. King
Mark Kinley
elaine Kosty
Tim Kropp
Ron Kapche
John Karl
Michael Kearney
Don Kelly
W. H. Kelly, Jr.
John D. Kennedy
Carole Kerker
George Kersels
Dave Kersten
Joseph Kerwin
Mike Kincaid
William e. King
Mark Kinley
elaine Kosty
Tim Kropp
Sharon Lackey
Joe Lamb
Katrina Lambrecht
Dave Lang
William Lanigan
Jan Lawler
Louise Lawson
Walter Lawson
Michael Lembeck
Beth Lewis
William Lindemann
Robin Lineberger
George Lockyer
R. Bowen Loftin
Randy Lowrance
Glynn Lunney
Bud MacKenzie
A. J. Macina
Tom Manison
John Martinec
Howard Marshall
Ron W. Masters
Ben Mathes
Joe Mayer
Charles W. Mayfield
Robert McAfoos
Gail McCollum
Mike McCroskey
Michael J. McCulley
B. McKenzie
Joan McKinney
Dane McKitrick
Dr. R.K. McLeod
Jim Meredith
George Meriwether
Gary Miglicco
Beau Miller
Chuck Miller
Lon F. Miller
Brenda Miller-Fergerson
Dr. Maurice (Moe) Miller
Monica Millican
Bernard A. Milstein
Robert Minor
Coleman Moore
Christopher Kim Morris
Owen Morris
Sandra Mossman
Mike Mott
ed Muniz
Sergio Muniz
David Murphy
Stephanie Murphy
Marilyn Musial
Denise Navarro
Bernt A. Netland
Bob New
James Newcomb
Dan Newman
Donald H. Nicholas
Georgianna Nichols
ellen Ochoa
Tedd Olkowski
Dave Outterson
David Owen
Christopher Packard
Tom Parkinson
Richard Parten
Charles Pence
JeromePennington
Oliver Pennington
Tom Permetti
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Roy Pezoldt
Richard Phelps
Stephen B. Phelps
Victor Pierson
Stephen B. Pohl
ed Poole
ed Pond
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Gene Read
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emyre Barrios Robinson
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Gene Satern
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Ann Sebesta
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Webster W. Sharp
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Admiral Robert Smith, iii
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Hajime “Sam” Suzuki
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Gwen Wagner
David e. Ward
John F. Ward
Richard e. Wettling
Whit Whittington
Charles Whynot
Randolph L. Wile
GrowinG our Family to take Care oF yours
Houston methodist is committing to the health and wellness of families in an impactful way, with a major expansion of services benefiting households living in the Bay area and surrounding communities.
TreAtIng everyone from newborns to the elderly, residents can now experience compassionate health care in a way that has more commonly been associated with the Texas Medical Center, right in their own neighborhood. Two new convenient Houston Methodist Primary Care Group (HMPCG) locations, several new physicians and additional amenities, are all a part of how we’re making leading medical care more accessible for you and your loved ones.
“With the Bay Area growing at a tremendous rate, it’s important for us to expand our footprint to continue making the health of this community our top priority,” said Stephen Spielman, MBA, MHA, president of HMPCG. “We are proud to invest in the health of this
region, and to lead the charge in bringing family-oriented, primary care that is synonymous with Houston Methodist to the residents of the Bay Area.”
Convenient, Comprehensive Care
In addition to the existing practice conveniently located on the campus of Houston Methodist St. John Hospital in Nassau Bay, HMPCG has opened two new close-to-home options in the Bay Area in 2016. The Webster location, where family medicine physician Phillip Mark Aguilar, MD, practices, opened its doors in January. A larger facility at the corner of El Camino Real and Pineloch Drive welcomed new patients beginning in April. The El Camino Real location is home to four primary care physicians with two physicians starting in September -collaborating to provide a full range of care from routine wellness to more
complex treatment.
“At HMPCG, we work hard to place your family at the center of everything we do,” said Spielman. “Our physicians are among the best in their respective fields, and they each provide a unique brand of expertise met with both commitment and compassion. We’ve made significant investments in our infrastructure to make the entire experience as convenient as possible for those we treat, and to provide state-of-the-art facilities that are both comfortable and accessible – always with our patients in mind.”
The newly constructed facility located at 14903 El Camino Real brings expanded clinic and exam room space to meet both existing and future needs of the Bay Area community, as well as an on-site laboratory for advanced diagnostics and patient convenience.
Among the many valuable
conveniences that patients enjoy with HMPCG include same-day appointments for when care is needed right away, online appointment scheduling to accommodate preferential dates and times, and a fast, secure portal for communication with your primary care team. All of our HMPCG Bay Area physicians are proudly affiliated with Houston Methodist St. John Hospital, meaning patients have greater access to the leading network of specialists for unparalleled continuity of care in the event of hospitalization.
Additionally, having exceptional care around the corner is not only convenient for residents, it’s beneficial for their overall health and pocketbooks too. According to a study by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), people who live in communities with easier accessibility to premier primary care, tend to experience lower healthcare costs overall, fewer hospitalizations and better longterm health outcomes due to earlier medical diagnosis and better disease management.
“We are pleased to provide personalized care for our patients in such a well-designed environment so close to home,” said Sasikala Chittimireddy, MD, one of four physicians currently providing care at the newest HMPCG location on El Camino Real. “Whether your child needs a physical for the upcoming sports season or you need help in managing diabetes, our expansion accommodates for whatever medical need may arise. Easier access is key to optimal health and wellness of our entire community, and that benefits us all.”
Local residents, community leaders and patients joined HMPCG physicians and executives at a special grand opening of the El Camino Real location on May 24. League City Chamber of Commerce members performed a ribboncutting for the event, and more than 125 guests attended to meet the physicians, tour the beautiful facility including the on-site lab, and enjoy light bites and prize drawings.
Houston MetHodist
PriMary Care GrouP
14903 El Camino Real Houston, TX 77062
713.363.7640
Sasikala Chittimireddy, MD Internal Medicine
Dr. Chittimireddy’s clinical interests are arthritis, chronic pain, chronic lung disease and diabetes. She attended medical school at Gandhi Medical College in India, and completed her residency at Trinitas Hospital – Seton Hall University in New Jersey. She is fluent in English, Hindi and Telugu.
Niloufar Ghadiri, MD Internal Medicine
Dr. Ghadiri received her medical degree from Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in Iran, and completed her residency at State University of New York Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York. She specializes in allergic rhinitis, hypertension, diabetes, asthma and weight management.
Zenithe Pierre Ware, MD Internal Medicine and Pediatrics
Dr. Ware received her medical degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and completed her residency at Baylor College of Medicine. She is board certified in both pediatrics and internal medicine, and specializes in a broad range of conditions, including the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes, hyperlipidemia and hypertension.
R. Sam Lingamfelter, DO Family Medicine
Dr. Lingamfelter provides physicals and specializes in preventive medicine, treating a number of conditions for patients ranging from adolescents to geriatrics. He attended medical school at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences and completed his residency at Houston Methodist San Jacinto Hospital in Baytown.
Houston Methodist Primary Care Group has three convenient locations in the Bay area, providing a highly skilled team of primary care physicians to treat patients of all ages.
Houston MetHodist PriMary Care GrouP
2060 Space Park Drive, Suite 302 Nassau Bay, TX 77058
281.333.9747
Sonya Khan, MD Internal Medicine and Endocrinology
Dr. Khan specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes, conditions of the thyroid, pituitary and endocrine system, and general women’s and men’s health. She earned her medical degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.
M. Carmen Visus, MD Internal Medicine
Dr. Visus received her medical degree from the University of Minnesota Medical School – Minneapolis. She specializes in the management of a variety of chronic diseases and conditions, including hypertension, asthma and diabetes.
Houston MetHodist PriMary Care GrouP
13920 Osprey Court, Suite A Webster, TX 77598
281.480.8884
Philip Mark Aguilar, MD Family Medicine
Dr. Aguilar has clinical expertise in the treatment of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes and thyroid disease. He received his medical degree from the University of Texas Medical School at Houston, and completed both his residency and internship at Houston Methodist San Jacinto Hospital.
To schedule an appointment, visit houstonmethodist.org/appointments or call 713.394.6638.
Welcoming Dr. Harmouch and Dr. Eseh-Logue!
Houston Methodist Primary Care Group is pleased to welcome Dr. Manar Harmouch and Dr. Rosemary Eseh-Logue.
Manar Harmouch, MD–Family Medicine (Starting in September)
Dr. Harmouch is board-certified in family medicine, and specializes in the diagnoses and treatment of conditions across all ages for every member of the family – from infants to the elderly. She received her medical degree from Northeast Ohio Medical University.
Rosemary Eseh-Logue, MD–Internal Medicine (Starting in September)
Dr. Eseh- Logue is board certified in internal medicine and specializes in the diagnosis and management of acute and chronic illnesses. She received her medical degree from George Washington University School of Medicine.
C.L. Chamber, BayTran draw crowds to luncheons
IT MAY BE so hot you hate to go outside your office to eat, but that didn’t keep hundreds of area residents from enjoying a nice luncheon in recent days. And, both the Clear Lake Area Chamber and the Bay Area Houston Transportation Partnership were happy to oblige, providing an enjoyable lunch and good speakers.
BayTran had Gary Trietsch, executive director of the Harris County Toll Road Authority, as its speaker, much to the delight of all the folks in the transportation industry and city and county officials. He not only updated everyone on toll roads, but the new ship channel bridge being built.
Glancing around, we spotted BayTran Chairman David Hamilton
MARY ALYS CHERRY
of Binkley & Barfield and Treasurer
Karen Coglianese of the City of Webster welcoming Galveston Mayor
Jim Yarbrough, Pearland Mayor
Tom Reid, who came with his City Manager Clay Pearson and Assistant City Manager Jon Branson, La Porte Mayor Louis Rigby, Houston Councilman Dave Martin’s Chief of Staff Lauren Laake and aide
Jordan McGinty, Kemah Mayor Carl Joiner and Galveston County
Commissioners Ken Clark and Joe Giusti.
Plus, UHCL Business Dean Dr. Ted Cummings, Moody National Bank Senior VP Mike Huss, Gulf Coast Limestone President Bob Robinson, former BayTran President Barbara Koslov, Harris County Transit exec Ken Fickes and a host of engineers from all over Houston.
Houston Port Commissioner John Kennedy and Executive Director Roger Guenther arrived with a number of Port officials – Erik Eriksson, Rich Byrnes, Garret Berg, Monica Glover and Spencer Chambers while Jim Dannenbaum, Larry Marr, Paul Celauro and Michel Maksoud represented Dannenbaum Engineering.
Some of the others in the crowd
were Ken Fickes, Bill Henderson, Christine Tran, Annie Yang and Vernon Chambers from Harris County; Vijay Mahal, Harry Walker, Keith Neshyba, Roben Armstrong, Sarah Vuskov, Chris Claunch and John Thomas of HDR; Larry Barfield, Mary Hammer Menzel, Tommy Cromer and Kevin Mineo of Binkley & Barfield; and BayTran board members Dennis Delvin of Klotz and Marcy Fryday of Lakewood Yacht Club.
Chamber hosts three educators
THE CLEAR LAKE Area Chamber drew quite a crowd as UH-Clear Lake President Bill Staples, San Jacinto College Vice Chancellor
Uh-Clear lake Business Dean ted Cummings and associate Vice president rhonda thompson join the crowd at the Clear lake area Chamber luncheon.
kat Clemons, eva deCardenas and Joyce abbey, from left, were among the many attending the Clear lake area Chamber luncheon.
UhCl Dean of humanities rick short makes a point as he talks with the Bay area houston Ballet’s ellen king at the Clear lake area Chamber luncheon.
Webster officials, Chris thrailkill and Dr. Betsy giusto, look for their table at the Clear lake area Chamber luncheon.
galveston mayor Jim yarbrough visits with port of houston executive Director roger guenther as he arrives at the hobby marriott for the Bay area houston transportation partnership luncheon.
Baytran treasurer karen Coglianese goes over the lineup for the program with the speaker, gary trietsch, executive director of the harris County toll road authority, as he joins the crowd at the marriott for the monthly luncheon.
pearland City manager Clay pearson, right, arrives at the Baytran luncheon at the marriott south with assistant City manager Jon Branson, left, and his son, Driskill Branson, financial advisor at raymond James Financial.
Teri Crawford and Clear Creek ISD Superintendent Greg Smith told of their schools’ many successes this past year and hopes for the future. (See story, page 50).
And, as you can image, they drew quite a crowd including Dr. Glenn Houston, Dr. Rick Short, Dr. Darlene Biggers, Dr. Ted Cummings, Dr. Mark Shermis and Associate VP Rhonda Thompson from UHCL; Alexander Okwanna, Kristen Ross, Catherine O’Brien, Herb Hildebrand and Joseph Hebert from San Jac; and Elaina Polsen, Eva deCardenas, Ashley Adair and Kaci Hanson from CCISD and the Education Foundation.
Plus, a number representing our
area banks and credit unions: Jessie Leach, Frost; Mike Gifford, Icon; Preston Phillips, Amegy; Anna Rihani and Christina Perry, Green; Brenda Ward, Travis Williams, Josh Griffon and Elfis Cottingham, Texan; Leon Coe and Casey Eakin, Texas Citizens; Marc Elliott, Texas First; Shawn Bailey, Kevin Venable and Josh Ryding, Amoco; Jamieson Mckay, Gulf Coast; Adelina Abshire, Beacon; and Gary Selwood, Samantha Norris, Duana McNamee, Cynthia Hawk and Becky Day, JSCFCU.
Representing the medical community, we spotted Bay Area Regional Medical Center VP Santiago
Mendoza Jr., along with Ben Casmer, Abbey Lee, Vivian McDuffie, Dr. Tracy Antill and Kim Henley; LaCrista Edwards and Melissa Kinney from MD Anderson; Rita Cunningham and Shelley Hassey of Clear Lake Regional Medical Center Looking over to your left, you might also have spotted Kemah Mayor Carl Joiner making his way through the crowd, passing SAIC’s Joyce Abbey, Boeing’s Brian Freedman, attorney Randy Ashby, Ron Carter’s Chris Premont, consultant Chris Reed, Jacobs Technology’s Glen Ellis, Minuteman Press owners Jim and Jane Sweeney and Communities in Schools’ Dr. Peter Wuenschel while Chamber President Cindy Harreld DeWease and Chairman Roy Green were preparing to start the program.
Lake student now in finals
CLEAR LAKE HIGH Junior Lucy Wang was the second runner up in the National American Miss Junior Teen talent competition on June 20 in Houston, where she performed a unique Chinese ribbon folk dance. She also was selected as a top 20 overall finalist in the National American Miss Texas State Pageant and will advance to the national competition to be held in Anaheim, Calif., during the Thanksgiving holidays.
Coasting
around. . . .
LUNAR RENDEZVOUS was nearing the end of another festival
as we were going to press --the end of many hours of work by its dozens and dozens of volunteers, some of whom we have here for your perusal . . . . The newly rebuilt Evelyn Meador Library in Seabrook celebrated its fifth anniversary of operation June 28, after nearly being wiped off the map by Hurricane Ike in 2008. . . . Houston Symphony League Bay Area will get the Bay Area social season underway Thursday, Aug. 18 when members host their annual Wine and Cheese Party for prospective members at the home of Matthew and Angie Weinman
2016 lunar rendezvous king kevin Duke joins Queen mariska mes, Queen alternate Jessica- michelle monette and Capt. Joseph Corrao for a photo prior to this year’s Coronation Ball in the san luis Convention Center Ballroom in galveston. photo by J. pamela photography
lucy Wang, a Clear lake high junior, was selected as a top 20 overall finalist in the national american miss texas state pageant and will advance to the national competition, to be held in anaheim, Calif., during the thanksgiving holidays.
Fashion show Chairmen for this year’s lunar rendezvous Festival were Diane overman, left, and Betsy salbilla. Both have worked on a number of festivals in previous years.
Coronation Ball Chairman Justine powell and Co-Chairman Cindy sebald were hoping this year’s lunar rendezvous Festival finale at the san luis Convention Center in galveston would be as delightful and those in the past.
Family Fun night Chairmen page rander, left, and Becky hensley know there’s fun ahead for those attending the lunar rendezvous Family Fun night at the putt-putt Fun house in Webster.
sunset service Co-Chairmen elizabeth Byrd olin, left, and katie Jones, who chaired last year’s lunar rendezvous Coronation Ball, headed the annual religious service at Clear Creek Community Church this year.
Two SchoolS of Fast
By Don Armstrong
THere Are MAny forMs
of auto racing; circle track, road course, drag racing, etc.
Many times, manufacturers will build “halo” cars that showcase their brand and cater to the sport and when they do, we are all rewarded –whether we can actually afford to buy them or not. This month’s Bay Area spotlight is on two such bad boys.
Alfa Romeo 4C
The new Alfa 4C, 2-seat road racer should not be mistaken for a daily commuter. Oh, it can do that, but depending on the length of your commute, perhaps not so comfortably. The 4C may be too stiff for anything
other than a trip to the track, and, no, the suspension can’t be adjusted to a “softer” setting. Don’t expect easy ingress or egress either with its extra-wide, carbon fiber door sills and a ride height so low you’ll wonder if your bum will scrape the ground.
Its 1.7-liter turbocharged, 4-cylinder engine is mounted behind the driver, delivering 237-horsepower to the rear wheels. The 4C’s meager 2,487 lbs. helps this car scoot from 0-60 MPH in a staggering 4.1 seconds. The Alfa’s dual-clutch manual transmission accepts either computer-directed shifts or commands through the steering wheel mounted paddles. There is no clutch pedal. Selectable drivetrain algorithms include “natural, dynamic, all-weather or
race” presets. Steering is not powered. Adoring looks, admiring thumbsup and congratulatory nods are numerous. Pricing starts at $55,900.
Cadillac CTS V
“Win on Sunday, sell on Monday,” a statement made famous by NASCAR back in the 60’s. That holds true for another racing series, the Pirelli World Challenge, which pits race versions of showroom cars on road courses across America. Enter the Cadillac CTS V, a racecar with a license plate that we can buy from our local dealer.
Building the “V” starts with the very successful Cadillac CTS, an edgy, good looking sedan. Supplant the standard V-6 engine with a 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 that whooshes 640-horsepower and 630-lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels through an 8-speed, paddle shifted automatic transmission.
From its larger fenders and unique hood to the carbon fiber spoiler and splitter, the V is all racer. A special racing section within the infotainment system monitors parameters and puts you in charge of adjustments. Unique suspension parts, big brakes, tires and attitude will make you king of the road – street or track. Here’s a Cadillac with major attitude.
Starts at $83,995
the Measure of riches
By Michael W. Gos
Jefferson, Texas
We Are A tIMe-poor soCIety. It wasn’t always this way. In fact, many of us are old enough to remember a time when we were much
more prosperous in this regard. But I’m afraid those days are gone.
We were staying at a great little B&B in Jefferson. It was spring break and we planned on exploring Caddo Lake. Jefferson is one of two or three towns with good lodging options in
the area and I had heard they had a Carnegie Library, something I’ve always wanted to see, so there was no question this would be our “base camp.”
The first morning, we set out for the lake only to find that all the roads into the area were closed due to flooding. When we got back to the B&B, we called our outfitter, then the tour boat company and the train depot to check on trips we had scheduled for later in the week. They all gave us the same answer—Caddo Lake is closed for the next few weeks.
So with four days on my hands and a now empty schedule, I decided to just hang out. I spent the first morning at the library. Then in the afternoon, my wife delivered me to husband daycare (in this case, a wine bar called The Corkyard) while she did the “shop till you drop” thing.
Normally, this works out fine for both of us, but on this rainy day, for some reason, I wasn’t enjoying it. I was getting antsy sitting there and in the process of fidgeting in my seat I happened to notice an ancient-looking store across the street called the
Jefferson General Store. There was a sign in the window saying “Root Beer on Draft.” I knew where I had to go. I walked across the street and immediately entered a time warp. Directly in front of me as I entered was a huge, candy counter with all the treats I enjoyed as a kid—circus peanuts, Neccos, those little wax bottles with a Kool-Aid-type liquid in them, and even the paper straws filled with Kool-Aid powder and sugar. The selection was enormous and most of the items I hadn’t seen in nearly 50 years.
I took a long time exploring the rest of the store and the vast variety of old timey things they had. I bought a jar of mayhaw jelly, a book about the town and some pickled garlic. Then, onto the main event—I took a seat at the lunch counter. It was the same as the one I remember from my childhood in Indiana. I ordered a root beer from the large wooden barrel and the day’s special, a chili dog for 50 cents.
All those years ago, my mother, an aunt, and in some cases my father, always seemed to have time to take me to places like this—or to a park or playground. It was a part of our everyday life. And then I thought
the Jefferson general store.
about how today; no one has time for this. How did we get from there to here? It may sound strange, but I believe the cause of these changes is the introduction of labor-saving devices. Let me start with life as I remember it as a child in the 1950s. We lived in a “poor” neighborhood but we always had kids to play with and our moms were always home if we needed anything. Often we’d stop for lunch at a neighbor’s house because his mom was serving something that sounded better than what we could get at home. Basically, our homes were interchangeable. Since everyone knew everyone else, the moms would call each other and exchange information on the location and activities of their kids. We would be disciplined by a neighbor mom just as quickly as by our own. In fact, we even called many of the neighbors “aunt” and “uncle” even though we were not blood relations.
Our moms were home for two reasons. First, they were there for us, but they also had a lot of work to do. I remember my mom’s old ringer washer in the basement and the clotheslines both in the basement for winter, and in the backyard the rest of the year. She washed dishes by hand
and Dad pushed a non-motorized mower once a week.
But then things started to change. It began when the first labor-saving device entered the picture. In my house, that was a clothes washer, but the pattern was universal regardless of the first device.
When we bought that first machine, we had to pay for it. No problem— Dad just worked a few more hours and eventually we were caught up
alone. The responsibility began falling to the women. Let’s look at some data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Report 1052). In 1950, only 32 percent of women were in the workforce. I think it is safe to assume these were mostly unmarried women or women with grown children. By 1960, the number had risen to 35.5 percent. In 1970 it was up to 40.8 percent and by 1980, 47.7 percent of women were in the
“We are raising a generation of kids who think this pace of life is normal.”
again. But those extra hours at work meant he had a bit less time at home.
To compensate, we bought a power lawn mower. It saved Dad a bit of time and effort, but it had to be paid for. So he worked a few extra hours. But as he began working more hours (at least one overtime shift a week in my dad’s case) we needed more laborsaving devices.
All across America, it was not long before the inevitable happened. We couldn’t keep saving time (buying more devices) on our fathers’ incomes
workforce full-time. And that was just the beginning. In 1990, the number was up to 54.3 percent and for the first time, more women were working than not. In 2000, the number was 57.5 percent and rising.
With the women at work instead of in the neighborhood, several new costs arose. First there were the inevitable child-care costs. Soon after, safety became an issue. Without the neighborhood moms at home, the kids lacked supervision. There was a myriad of ways for them to get
into trouble and eventually it was no longer prudent to let them roam outside the way we did as kids. We had to keep them busy. That meant non-stop after-school and weekend activities—with parents as chauffeurs. Soon we even had to drive kids to and from school because it was no longer safe for them to walk or bike. The result was we now needed even more labor-saving devices so moms could keep up with the chores at home in addition to working. And the spiral continued.
What was the result? Today we are all working 40, 50 and 60 hours a week, serving as chauffeurs in our off time and raising a generation of kids who think this pace of life is normal.
As I sat at the lunch counter at the Jefferson General Store, I found myself longing for those days long ago when we could go to the library for a couple of hours, then head to the playground or the “five and dime” for a root beer and a bit of our favorite candy. It was fun—an adventure. And we had a different adventure every day.
We may be richer dollar-wise today, and have a lot more “stuff” to show for it, but we have definitely become time-poor. Which is more important?
texas youth Claim Monumental sailing Win for u.s.
LAKeWood yACHt CluB youtH celebrated a first-time victory for the United States at the Optimist Team Racing World Championship in Vilamoura, Portugal. The 33rd World Championship challenged 258 sailors from 59 nations.
After racing undefeated throughout the event, the U.S. team brought home the championship trophy.
Team Captain Zane Rogers, 16-year-old youth sailor with Lakewood Yacht Club, led his team to victory only days after finishing in the top 10 at the fleet racing event. Winds were light and shifty on the race course, but the U.S. team held an undefeated standing for first-place honors at the podium.
Crew member Justin Callahan remarked that, “The wind was pretty light. We’re used to a little more wind when we’re sailing. But we knew we just had to win off the start and go for speed.”
Coming in at second place was Argentina, while Italy finished with third. The first-place victory for Team USA was earned after the U.S. squad captured the Nations Cup for best performing country in the individual competition.
Situated on the southern coast of Portugal, Vilamoura consists of one of the largest tourist complexes in Europe. Valentim Costa, president of the Vilamoura Marina, was pleased to host the international event. “I’m very proud to welcome the World Championship of 2016. It was a very good experience, and I hope to welcome everybody again at Vilamoura for future events.”
Topping out at over 100 sailors, Lakewood’s Youth Sailing Program trains athletes who sail in the Opti, Laser, 420, and FJ classes. Directed by Olympic competitor Marek Valasek, the Lakewood sailing team enjoys coaching expertise from international competitors as well as winners of top-ranking national regattas. Program opportunities are available for youth aged six and older. For information about Lakewood’s Youth Sailing Program, contactSailingDirector@ LakewoodYachtClub.com
Bay Cup II draws racers to g alveston Bay
LAKeWood yACHt CluB will host the annual longdistance Bay Cup II Regatta on Aug. 6. Drawing competitive racers to Trinity Bay and Upper Galveston Bay, the second race in the Bay Cup series tests the limits of navigational skills.
The race course challenges sailors with multiple legs that total 15 to 25 nautical miles. Lakewood racer Dwight Bengston appreciates the skill level of the summer regatta. “The Bay Cup II is a distance race around a combination of fixed marks. The idea is to give people multiple points of sail around Galveston and Trinity Bay.”
Competing vessels will include large keel boats, generally ranging from 3050 feet. A variety of PHRF, multihull, and one-design classes will be represented. The course begins in Trinity Bay and finishes close to Kemah.
Volunteers stand ready on hand to make this year’s regatta a one-of-a-kind event. Race Committee Chair Larry Rogers asserts the utmost confidence in Lakewood’s members. “We have around 100 volunteers who help out with racing events. From organizing registration to planning entertainment for the awards ceremonies, it’s an amazing effort from an amazing group of volunteers.”
Families and friends of skippers and their crews will enjoy fun social events at the club as well as spending time in the Bay Area, taking in the local sites.
the summer of 2016 has been one of the best for crabbing in years
By Capt. Joe Kent
CrABBIng or CrAB fIsHIng has steadily improved over the past few years and so far during 2016 we are experiencing one of the best recreational crabbing season in years.
As a child I recall many pleasant days dropping crab lines baited with bones from the discarded meat of a butcher shop close to where I grew up. My family would take the bait to a pier along Clear Lake, Kemah, Clifton By the Sea and other spots and drop them in the water waiting for big blue crabs to come along.
In those days, owners of private fishing piers and docks rarely resisted families and kids using their piers for crabbing and fishing. That is where I developed my passions for fishing and crabbing.
In those days, mid-1950s to mid1960s, we would take a wash tub and gunny sacks, or tow sacks as they also are called, to the piers and after a couple of hours or so during the early morning or late afternoon we would have a big assortment of blue crabs to take home and boil for dinner the next evening.
Today the situation is a bit different as kids are not as exposed to this fun sport as they used to be. One reason is the lack of public fishing and crabbing piers and the other is the concern over liability on private piers should an injury take place.
Prior to the mid-1960’s, those were not issues as there were plenty of public fishing piers and private
owners were not as concerned over liability. Obviously that has changed.
Crabs were everywhere for easy taking until the mid-1980s when two things affected crabbing. First was the over shrimping of Galveston Bay and along with it the bycatch mortality of crabs and small fish. The second was a virus that spread among male blue crabs that rendered them sterile.
Those factors had a big negative effect on crabbing for years. Two to three years ago we started noticing an improvement in the size and quantity of blue crabs around the Galveston Bay Complex and the momentum has continued.
While fin fish have been affected by the spring floods of 2015 and 2016, crabs seem to be resilient to the change in salinity and have continued to fare well all over the Galveston Bay Complex.
Several longtime recreational crabbers, all using crab lines and dip nets (long handled crab nets), have reported catches resembling what they remember from the late 1970’s.
The cost of equipment is minimal, with the crab net likely being the most expensive at a cost around $10.
Commercially prepared crab lines with weights and pins for attaching the bait go for less than $2 usually and the bait can be anything from fish heads from cleaned fish which cost very little to the premier crab bait of chicken necks costing a few dollars.
Crabbing is a fun, family sport that can be enjoyed by all members of the family including all age groups. From youngsters to grandma and grandpa, all can enjoy watching the crab lines and when a crab starts pulling the bait away, we all enjoy the excitement of going for the net and dipping up a beautiful blue crab.
If you haven’t taken the family crabbing, the whole group is missing out on a wonderful experience that has some excellent table fare as its reward.
young matias alcocer and three friends with their recent catch of 48 blue crabs.
Create your Own island Home Sweet Home
AKItCHen IslAnd is a relatively modern addition to the kitchen. It is named an island as it is a free standing area typically at the center of the kitchen that is used to add a little additional working space to the kitchen. An island can be the heart of the kitchen whether square, L shaped or rectangular, and it can bring an entirely new appearance to the kitchen. Islands can be secondary cooking and prep stations, and surfaces selected for the island top can make cooking less complicated.
Chopping vegetables on a butcher block top or making pastries on slick marble makes for a quicker clean up after the food prep. Everyone can use more area to serve their guests food and beverages when entertaining. The main entree, desserts or veggies on serving trays and platters can all fit and
be displayed on the newly created island top. Seat space is consistently short in a kitchen so the kitchen island is a method for adding working space, appliance stations and maybe even bonus storage. Kitchen islands with seating add a great deal of convenience. They even may be used as a dinner table and are great places for kids to do homework.
It is a good idea to consider the kind of seating that is preferred before the island is installed as different kinds of seats will need different heights and overhangs of the island top. An island can bring in other accent materials into the kitchen space to inspire a more interesting look. The base of the furniture can be reclaimed wood orshelves with baskets or crates or a contrasting paint color from existing cabinets. The island top could be stainless steel, marble, granite, concrete or wood and can coordinate yet be different from existing counter tops to add interest.
There are portable and fixed kitchen islands. The fixed model is built into the kitchen floor and after installed cannot be moved or modified easily. It is built into the home so it can be shaped to be
“Kitchen islands with seating add a great deal of convenience.”
Electricity comes in handy for plugs and appliances that can be an island addition like a microwave, warming drawer, oven or stove. Installing pull out trash cans,cooking utensil and spice drawers and pop up mixer cabinet will make one wonder how he/she made it this long without an island.
The portable kitchen island is an island that can be moved to different locations possibly when entertaining or moved nearer to the stove or sink when prepping food. It is an excellent alternative when there is limited space in the kitchen. It can be wheeled wherever it is needed. It can have the exact same characteristic as an island that is fixed such as an
more customized to the kitchen size and offers the option of having plumbing or electricity built into this structure. Plumbing can accommodate a dishwasher, main sink or a smaller vegetable sink.
excellent table top made of wood, stainless steel or marble. It provides extra storage for wine, cook books, dishes, cooking utensils, linens or pots and pans. The bonus feature of a portable island is the possibility of moving it outside when entertaining. Portable islands can be custom built to your specifications just like a fixed island or pre built ones may be purchased at a furniture store or online. Even if pre built, they can be modified by adding towel bars for kitchen towels or painted an accent color or a different top may be purchased to add to the standard island but customized to make it fit the current space and needs.
Islands are functional, attractive additions to the home that can be the center of attention and family gatherings.
Bay Area regional opens Heart and vascular Center
BAy AreA regIonAl MedICAl Center recently opened a new Heart and Vascular Center in its efforts to provide exceptional cardiac and vascular care. With a biplane and two single-plane cardiac catheterization labs, physicians are able to perform many procedures including STEMI, diagnostic and peripheral catheterization procedures, electrophysiology, implants, pacemakers and interventional radiology procedures to name a few.
Each cardiac catheterization room in the Heart and Vascular Center at Bay Area Regional houses a revolutionary 3D component, the Siemens sygno DynaCT Cardiac, which enables CT-like imaging of the
heart during complex cardiac interventions. “Our team of cardiac and vascular specialists can visualize cardiac structures in 3D like the aortic root, left atrium or pulmonary veins in the cath lab within a few seconds,” said Amy Eason, RN, BSN, and Director of Cardiology Services at Bay Area Regional.
The Heart and Vascular Center not only houses some of the latest tools and technology available, “the people care. I have seen it with the nurses, administrators, technicians, doctors -- everyone is wholeheartedly committed to delivering compassionate, highquality health care,” said Dr. Dipsu Patel, interventional cardiologist on the hospital medical staff. “I am
so proud to be a part of Bay Area Regional.”
Opening of the new Heart and Vascular Center shows “our dedication to providing exceptional care to the Houston Bay Area
of-life care and for improving community health. Memorial Hermann was the only Houston health system recognized at the Health Forum/AHA Leadership Summit in San Diego July 17-19.
in A rAre ACCoMplIsHMent for a U.S. health system, Memorial Hermann was nationally recognized for awards in multiple categories by the American Hospital Association– notably for its commitment to quality, employing innovation in palliative and end-
Earning 2016 AHA honors were: Memorial Hermann Greater Heights Hospital - finalist for the 2016 AHAMcKesson Quest for Quality Prize® for its leadership and innovation in quality improvement and safety; the Memorial Hermann Community Benefit Corporation Mobile Dental Program – presented the AHA’s NOVA Award for its efforts to
community while making a difference in people’s lives,” said Tim Schmidt, CEO of Bay Area Regional. “This year has been exciting. We’re in pursuit of Level III Trauma Designation. We anticipate becoming an Accredited Chest Pain Center with PCI in the coming months. We will open three more floors of private patient rooms, including medical surgical and ICU beds by the end of the year.”
To learn more about Bay Area Regional or to find a physician, visit www.barmc.us
Cancer Moonshot summit seeks to double progress Against Cancer
ACroWd of More tHAn 260 people packed a room at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in the Texas Medical Center on Wednesday, June 29 in support of the inaugural national Cancer Moonshot Summit convened at the request of Vice President Joe Biden. The summit was the first time physicians, patients, survivors, advocates, tech experts, philanthropists and researchers gathered to brainstorm new ways to double the rate of progress against cancer over the next five years. Ideas generated from 260 events held in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and Guam will be forwarded to the national Cancer Moonshot for consideration. MD Anderson’s event featured a panel discussion led by President Ronald A. DePinho, M.D. (far right). Participating on the panel (from right to left) were State Rep. Sarah Davis; Devon Still, Houston Texan and founder, Still Strong Foundation; Dr. Lois Ramondetta, professor, Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, MD Anderson; Dr. J. Leonard Lichtenfeld, deputy chief medical officer, American Cancer Society; Dr. Patrick Hwu, head, Division of Medicine, MD Anderson; Bree Sandlin, breast cancer survivor and advocate; Chris Belmont, vice president and chief information officer.
improve community health; and the Memorial Hermann Physician Network and Symptom Management Consultants, recipient of the AHA’s Circle of Life Citation of Honor for utilizing innovation in palliative and end-of-life care.
“This type of national recognition by the American Hospital Association is a testament to the visionary leadership at Memorial Hermann and the dedicated and collective efforts of staff and physicians to deliver great care daily to the Houston community,” said Dr. Benjamin K. Chu, president and CEO, Memorial
Hermann Health System.
“It truly demonstrates how our innovative programs are comprehensively serving the community with high quality and safe patient care at our hospitals, employing compassion in end-of-life care and decisions, and helping those most in need with our mobile dental program. All Memorial Hermann employees and physicians should be extremely proud of this wonderful milestone that few systems in the United States have or will achieve.”
King: let taxpayers decide Houston’s pension issue
By Bill King
Sylvester
turner
and I both testified at the Texas House›s Pension Committee held recently in Houston on the crisis the city is facing with its pension plans.
We actually agreed on a number of things. For instance, we both agreed that Houston pension debt is now approaching $6 billion. You may recall that during the campaign Turner insisted that my estimate of $4 billion was an exaggeration.
We agreed that the current contribution of over $400 million does not fully fund the pensions and is unsustainable. And we agree that without a pension deal, the city will be facing massive layoffs and service cuts as early as next year.
What we disagree on is the solution to the problem. As many of you know, I have been arguing for some time that the only permanent solution to the pension problem is a plan that ultimately transitions the city from defined benefit to defined contribution plans. This, of course, is the conclusion that the private sector reached over the last few decades.
However, at the hearing, Turner unilaterally announced to a packed chamber of cheering city employees that any switch to defined contribution plans was “off the table” because all three pension systems are opposed to such a change. Really?
Apparently the City Council, the Texas Legislature, and of course, the long-suffering Houston taxpayers have no say in the issue. Oh, and by the way, polling shows that over 70 percent of Houstonians are in favor of moving new employees to defined contribution plans.
The reason defined benefit plans are a financial death trap is that
the ultimate cost of such plans is unknowable. The cost depends on demographic and financial market conditions over many decades. Any notion that we can predict life expectancies or interest rates over the next 40 years is pure hubris. And the fact that we have missed the cost by nearly $6 billion in just the last 15 years shows just how foolhardy the exercise is.
As long as we continue to delude ourselves that such clairvoyance is possible, we will continue to face this crisis. That is why a plan that fairly transitions the city to a defined contribution system is the only solution for both taxpayers and the city’s employees.
But instead of Turner and I continuing to debate this question, I have a proposal to settle our argument. Turner has said that he is anxious to have an election to eliminate the property tax cap. So why don’t we give Houston voters the opportunity to vote to eliminate defined benefit pension plans for new employees? After all, shouldn’t the people that will ultimately have to pay for these plans have some say in what plans they want to offer to their new employees?
Here is my proposal. Let’s put a referendum on the pension plans on the ballot this November. I concede that it is unclear what the legal effect of a referendum would have under these circumstances. But at least it would send a very clear message to the Texas Legislature, not to mention our mayor and city council, how Houston taxpayers feel about elected officials continuing a system that has plunged us into billions of dollars in pension debt.
(Bill King was a candidate for mayor of Houston in 2015, losing in the runoff to Mayor Turner.)
uH-Clear lake names Houston interim provost
University of Houston-Clear Lake President William A. Staples has named Associate Vice President for Information Resources A. Glen Houston interim senior vice president for academic affairs and provost, effective July 1.
The position was left vacant by Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Carl A. Stockton who resigned from UHCL at the end of June to become chancellor for Auburn University at Montgomery in Montgomery, Ala.
“Dr. Houston has been with the university since 1985 and offers a breadth of knowledge and expertise to this interim role,” said Staples. “UHCL is fortunate to have someone like Dr. Houston ready to step into such an important position.”
Houston joined University of Houston-Clear Lake in 1985 to serve as founding director of the former Research Institute for Computing and Information Systems and as an assistant professor of computer science. From 1993 to 2000, Houston served as division chair for Computing and Mathematics. He was selected as associate vice president for information resources in 2000 after serving in that position in an interim role for four months.
As associate vice president, he supervises six areas including University Computing and Telecommunications; the Alfred R. Neumann Library; the Environmental Institute of Houston; Online Programs; and UHCL Pearland Campus Operations. Houston continues to serve on the faculty in the School of Science and Computer Engineering as a professor of computer science and statistics.
Among his most recent accomplishments is his leadership with the OmniUpdate project and the development of the new UHCL website scheduled to launch later this year. A collaboration between University Computing and
Telecommunications and University Communications, this university-wide project includes consolidating and updating many web pages and the creation of an intranet. Houston has also worked with the Office of Online Programs and University Computing and Telecommunications to migrate online programs and courses from the WebCT platform to Blackboard, while increasing the number of online courses offered for students.
In his role as associate vice president for information resources, he represents Academic Affairs on all construction projects including the new Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Building and the Recreation and Wellness Building at UHCL as well as the Health Sciences Building at UHCL Pearland Campus. His work with UHCL Pearland Campus has included oversight of operations for the satellite campus since its creation in 2010.
Houston holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Mathematics from McNeese State University and a doctoral degree in mathematical statistics from Southern Methodist University.
Offices directly reporting to the senior vice president for academic affairs and provost include the Office of Academic Affairs; Office of Enrollment Management; Office of Information Resources; Office of Student Services; and Deans from the Schools of Education, Business, Science and Computer Engineering, and Human Sciences and Humanities.
“I look forward to taking on new challenges and expanding on plans that Dr. Stockton already has in place,” said Houston.
“UHCL continues to present new opportunities. I’m excited about the future.”
Houston will serve as interim until a permanent replacement is found during a nationwide search.
south shore Harbour resort shows off its pretty new look
By Mary Alys Cherry
South Shore Harbour Resort and Conference Center is wearing a new look these days, much to the delight of the Bay Area community, which turned out by the hundreds for its grand opening July 14 when General Manager Roy Green showed off the results of its $10 million-plus makeover.
And, what a great party it was.
Community leaders rubbed shoulders with businessmen, former hotel guests and community volunteers who have put on many events in its ballroom over the years -- all smiling as they looked over the handsome newly decorated facility.
Many faces lit up as they walked through the newly designed lobby, into the Lighthouse Bar and Bistro, which is offering dinner both weekdays and weekends, and then glanced down at the beautiful swimming pool and Oasis Bar, where a number of cabanas have been added.
After sampling as array a delicious hors d’oeuvres, guests were invited upstairs, where they marveled at
the beauty of the new décor in the Captain’s and Harbour Penthouse Suites and checked out the new carpet and furnishings in the guest rooms, including bathrooms with both a spa and free standing shower, 43-inch TVs and views looking out over Clear Lake. It was quite a show.
photos by mary alys Cherry
hotel lobby underwent a complete makeover for a more modern, nautical look.
the beautiful swimming pool, with more cabanas, is enjoyed by guests.
educators update Chamber on the state of education
By Mary Alys Cherry
THe stAte of eduCAtIon in Bay Area Houston is quite good and better than most places.
Clear Lake Area Chamber members got an update from Clear Creek ISD Superintendent Greg Smith, San Jacinto College Vice Chancellor Teri Crawford and University of HoustonClear Lake President Bill Staples, at their monthly luncheon, held at South Shore Harbour Resort.
Each told of recent successes at their schools and stressed the importance of working together.
CCIsd
“It has been a headline type of year for CCISD,” the superintendent said, noting that the district has been recognized as one of the top school districts in the Houston region by Children At Risk, that CCISD had been named a top workplace in Houston for the fourth year by the Houston Chronicle while two students were excelling at the International Science Fair.
One of them, Clear Brook High junior Syamantak Payra, received the Intel Foundation Young Scientist Award and a $50,000 scholarship for
developing a low-cost electronicallyaided knee brace that allows an individual with a weakened leg to walk more naturally after seeing his uncle struggle to walk with a prosthetic leg.
Going on to tell how students are using their math and science skills to build boats, wetlands, an aquaponics farm – even a galley table for the International Space Station, Dr. Smith added, “We want your children to not just read about the world, but experience and positively impact it as well.”
Currently, CCISD has 41,000 students attending its 40 campuses, 5,000 employees and 2,800 graduates in 2016 and a 98 percent graduation rate.
sAn JACInto College
San Jac Vice Chancellor Teri Crawford’s community college works daily with both area school districts and colleges, so it was only fitting that she was the middle speaker.
And, she couldn’t help but brag a little about SJC’s very successful early college high school program which started with CCISD’s Clear Horizons Early College High School. Since its first class graduated in 2009, it has sent several hundred students out into the world with both a high school
diploma and an associate degree earned while still in high school.
Since then, San Jac has added Pasadena, Sheldon and Galena Park ISDs to the Early College Program, with many among the 4,969 students transferring to four-year institutions in 2014-15.
“More and more students are entering college,” she said, adding that SJC today has 30,000 credit students. It awarded 2,682 degrees and certificates in 2006-07, compared with 6,156 awarded in 2014-15 – an increase of 129.5 percent.
“Today we are ranked as one of the top 100 community colleges in the country, including No. 2 in granting associate degrees in science technologies/technicians, No. 7 in granting associate degrees to Hispanic students and No. 17 in associate degrees across all disciplines.”
uH-CleAr lAKe
Dr. Staples also had plenty of good news to share with his educational partners and the business community: UHCL has been named one of the Best Regional Universities in the West by U.S. News and World Report, and enrollment is growing.
In addition to 234 in the 2014 freshman class, UHCL added 250
freshmen in 2015 from 72 different high schools – the top five, CCISD schools. Of its 4,500 transfer students this past year, 2,500 students came from San Jacinto College.
But his really big news was about buildings UHCL will break ground for in 2017. Among them are a $65 million Science, Technology, Engineering and Math and Classroom Building and a $38 million Recreation and Wellness Facility – both at UHCL. A third building – a $24.6 million Health Sciences and Classroom Building is planned at the Pearland campus.
“We are also looking into the possibility of building more student housing on the UHCL campus.”
Other initiatives include expansion of services at the Center for Autism; start of its third doctoral program, a doctorate in psychology; a preengineering track for undergrads and a partnership with UTMB on an MBA program for medical students.
“By education, business and government working together – and you have two of the best in Dr. Smith and Dr. Hellyer – we can make a real difference in the lives of our students and in our communities,” he said, with both of his fellow speakers quickly indicating Dr. Staples should be on any list of the best.
Photos by Mary Alys Cherry
speakers UhCl president Bill staples, san Jacinto College Vice Chancellor teri Crawford and Clear Creek IsD superintendent greg smith, from left, stop for a photo as the Clear lake area Chamber program comes to an end.
Clear lake Chamber president Cindy harreld DeWease and Chamber Chairman roy green are happy with the turnout for the state of education luncheon at south shore harbour resort.
seabrook makes improvements
This summer Seabrook Public Works is making waterline improvements at Todville and Meyer and Red Bluff and Old Highway 146.
The Todville and Meyer project will replace a section of a steel 12-inch waterline that has been repaired multiple times due to leaks. The second improvement will upsize an existing 2-inch waterline area servicing the area at Red Bluff and Old Highway 146 to an 8-inch waterline with the addition of fire hydrants. The larger line will increase water flow and improve water distribution service to our residents.
Construction is expected to be complete by September. Motorists can expect temporary lane closures in the area as needed.
pearland trustee killed in wreck
Long-time Pearland ISD Trustee
Virgil Gant was tragically killed in a truck accident near Ozona, Texas, Sunday, June 26. He was 68.
“We are shocked and deeply saddened by the sudden loss of our fellow trustee,” Board President Rebecca Decker said. “He was a dear friend, mentor and a devoted champion for Pearland ISD. Our
prayers are with the Gant family.”
Pearland ISD Superintendent Dr. John Kelly said, “Virgil Gant was both my boss and my good friend. More importantly, he was the friend of every student in this school district, always generous of his time and his resources. He did so much good -and with so little fanfare -- that most people were not even aware of his many, many contributions to charities and good causes. His death is an enormous loss for our community.”
Gant served on the Pearland ISD Board of Trustees for a total of 16 years -- from 1997-2006 and from 2009 to the present. He served in many leadership roles, including board president and most recently as a member of the Long-Range Planning Steering Committee. In 2014, he received the Master Trustee designation from Texas Association of School Boards.
Martin receives lone star Award
Houston Public Media News 88.7 reporter and Clear Lake resident Florian Martin won third place at the 2016 Lone Star Awards banquet in the Radio Politics/Government category for his work covering the Houston mayoral race.
The Lone Star Awards are
focus on What you Can Control
how do you choose what to worry about?
in tHe 24-Hour neWs CyCle, we’re hit from all directions with the latest “crisis” the world is facing. Obesity. Sleep deprivation. Student-loan debt. A shortage of biscuits. It’s constant and can be exhausting.
That’s not even taking into consideration the “crises” we experience in our own personal lives — things like avoiding mistakes at work or keeping track of appointments for yourself and relatives. It’s hard to be concerned about refugees in Europe when you’re trying to keep your affairs in order on the home front.
Then, somewhere at the edge of our consciousness, there are our
retirement income concerns. Have we saved enough? Will it last to the end of our lives? Long-term retirement income planning can be one of the most challenging and personal issues we face. Since none of us know how long we’ll live, we don’t know how much money we’ll need. But we believe there are some certainties. Those nearing retirement
given each year in recognition of outstanding achievements in journalism and mass communication in the state of Texas. Houston Public Media won a total of 14 awards this year.
students win scholarships
Flint Hills Resources has helped several Houston-area high school students advance their education this year by awarding them an Outstanding Student Scholarship. A total of $12,000 in scholarships was awarded at the end of the school year. Among this year’s scholarship recipients were four Bay Area students:
• Allison Jackson - Deer Park High School
• Ilikki Teaff-Machek – Deer Park High School
• Kenny Rodriguez - Pasadena High School
• Israel Perez, Jr. – Pasadena High School
rodney ellis wins democratic race
State Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, has won the Democratic nomination for a vacant seat on the Harris County commissioner’s court, putting the 26year Texas Senate veteran on a path to leave the Legislature by next year.
Ellis garnered support from a majority of precinct chairs at a Saturday meeting of the Harris County Democratic Party,
can likely expect a Social Security payout, and Medicare can help offset health care expenses as we grow older. But these programs alone aren’t intended to fund your retirement lifestyle.
Financial professionals who specialize in Retirement Income Planning are there to help you use your current retirement assets to create strategies that help meet your long-term financial goals. Be aware of income strategies that are popular, but may or may not be successful for you, such as the 4 Percent Rule. The premise behind the 4 Percent Rule is that you will withdraw 4 percent per year for income and it will last 25 years, so you won’t run out of money in retirement.
Ask yourself, “is 4 percent enough?” or “what if my money is invested somewhere with risk and I lose money? Do I still withdraw 4 percent of a smaller amount, or do I still take what I need?” When you are looking at Retirement Income
according to Ellis spokesman, Dave Edmonson. He will run unopposed in the November general election for the seat left open when longtime Commissioner El Franco Lee died. Ellis now must withdraw from the November ballot in Senate District 13, which covers a swath of southwest Houston. Borris Miles defeated Senfronia Thompson in a race to fill Ellis’ seat in the Senate and will run unopposed in November.
Ellis had been vying to permanently replace fellow Democrat Lee, who died in January but remained on the March 1 primary ballot. Gene Locke, a former Houston city attorney, was tapped to finish Lee’s term, which expires at the end of this year.
dr. rodney Allbright takes post at CoM
The College of the Mainland board of trustees has unanimously named Dr. A. Rodney Allbright interim president of College of the Mainland. Allbright, of Alvin, worked for Alvin Community College for 45 years, and for 38 served as president.
“He’s an exceptional individual, and we’re honored and appreciative to have him come work with us,” said Wayne Miles, chairman of the College of the Mainland board.
Dr. Allbright, who will fill the post formerly held by President Beth Lewis, plans to focus on planning for the upcoming school year. “The first goal is creating a proposed budget for 2016-2017,” he said.
Planning, look for income methods backed by guarantees. At the end of the day, you likely cannot afford to take a pay cut in retirement. Plus, if you run out of money, are you going back to work or moving in with your kids?
If you are someone who is one, five or even ten years from retirement, it is never too early to start planning. With true Retirement Income Planning help, creating a retirement income strategy may be one less thing to worry about. Other regional concerns may apply to you, like the water crisis in Michigan or mosquito infestations in South Florida, but whenever possible, direct your attention to things you can control. Focus on your today, because we believe that’s what will help you enjoy a more confident retirement.
-- Summer A. Roberts & Paul E. Roberts www.RobertsWealthTexas.com
Business buzz
new Chamber directors named
The Clear Lake Area Chamber has announced the newly elected members of its Board of Directors.
They are: Nicole Bellow, Smarter HR Solutions; Jonathan Cottrell, Martha Turner Sotheby’s International Realty; Teri Crawford, San Jacinto College; Rita Cunningham, Clear Lake Regional Medical Center; Sue Flannigan, Berkeley Eye Center; Chris Reed, Chris Reed Consulting; Wayne Rutledge, Rutledge Commercial Real Estate; and Katherine Walsh, Houston Methodist St. John Hospital.
la porte plans town Center
La Porte city officials and residents had two reasons to celebrate July 4 –the birthday of our country and the groundbreaking of their proposed 95acre La Porte Town Center project.
The Center is expected to be a destination location offering families entertainment, children’s activities, educational museums, special events, sports and miniature golf. It will also feature restaurants, retail shops and office space.
Tenants already committed include
Gilley’s Family Entertainment Center, Gilley’s Texas Roasters, Golf World, Fashion District, McCardell’s Pub, Locked and Loaded Arms and Hamburgers by Gourmet. A full service resort hotel and conference center also is planned to provide facilities for businesses meetings and conferences.
La Porte Town Center will be located near Sylvan Beach,along State Highway 146 adjacent to the Bay Forest Golf Course.
Barrios to support Boeing programs
Boeing has selected Barrios Technology to support the Houstonbased International Space Station and
Industry spending Millions over-Complying with environmental procedural laws
now, there’s a tool for that
Industry Is spendIng MIllIons of dollars over-complying with complicated environmental laws, according to recent analyses performed by the AL Law Group, a Texas-based environmental law firm. In addition, unnecessary overcompliance can increase costs, create additional liabilities, and distract company resources from being used toward more effective environmental improvement efforts.
“Over-compliance doesn’t necessarily mean better compliance . . . or better environmental protection,” said Jed Anderson, a lead attorney with the firm. “Sometimes it means that limited resources are being spent on non-required administrativeoriented exercises, rather than
results-oriented environmental improvements.”
Nationally renowned as a Clean Air Act expert, Anderson acknowledges that rarely is over-compliance systematically evaluated, “Companies performing environmental audits typically focus on non-compliance – and rightly so. Companies must ensure compliance,” Anderson said.
“However, non-productive overcompliance drains valuable company resources, increases liability, and leads to less effective environmental protection efforts.”
Why is “over-compliance” occurring?
One of the primary causes of overcompliance is the growing size and complexity of U.S. environmental law. U.S. environmental laws are
Boeing’s commercial space programs under the Boeing Engineering and Technical Service Support program. Barrios will focus its expertise on software development including the critical flight software used by NASA to support the ISS program and Boeing’s commercial space vehicle CST-100. “Barrios has performed as a sub-contractor to Boeing since 2004 providing engineering and integration services along with software development and testing. We are very pleased to have this opportunity to continue to be a valued supplier to The Boeing Co.,” Barrios Technology President Robert McAfoos said. Barrios Technology is a womanowned AS9100 certified engineering services company with expertise
the most complicated laws in human history--and they are getting even more complicated. Gina McCarthy, the current head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, at one point in her career stated, “I hate that each sector has 17 to 20 rules that govern each piece of equipment and you’ve got to be a neuroscientist to figure it out.” This growing size and complexity is leading to significant legal ambiguity and legal misunderstanding--and therefore many over-compliance situations. Anderson compared it to paying taxes. The tax code is not as complicated as the environmental code, but the complicated tax code has provided significant economic opportunity for certain individuals who have best understood, and have been able to navigate its complexity.
the Al law group’s oCelA service
To assist industry, the AL Law Group has designed a new legal
in aerospace engineering, space operations, scientific research, and technology solutions. Established and headquartered in Houston since 1980, Barrios provides services to NASA and the aerospace industry.
united to fly nonstop to Cuba
The U.S. Department of Transportation has tentatively awarded United Airlines nonstop flights to Cuba from Houston’s Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and New York/Newark. Starting later this year, United will offer Saturday nonstop service between IAH and Havana’s Jose Marti International Airport.
product to help companies save money, reduce liability, and reinvest in more productive environmental improvement efforts in this arena.
AL Law’s Over-Compliance Environmental Legal Assessment service (or “OCELA”) evaluates commonly occurring overcompliance situations the law firm has detected through years of legal practice with Fortune 100 and smaller companies alike. Some examples of commonly found over-compliance situations include unnecessary permit conditions; non-use of alternative compliance strategies; misinterpretation of rules, permit conditions and/or guidance documents; and unnecessary overmonitoring of certain parameters that are not contributing significantly to environmental protection efforts.
The attorneys in the AL Law Group all originate from leading Texas law firms or Fortune 500 Companies. Visit www.allawgp. com for more information.
Boeing space exploration Vice president and general manager John elbon, sixth from left, cuts the ribbon on the company’s new Cts-100 starliner simulator, which will be used to train for flights to the International space station. the Cst-100 starliner’s first crew flight test to the Iss is expected in 2017 and will be Boeing’s first commercial flight transporting humans to that destination. Joining him are, from left, la porte mayor louis rigby, harris Country tax assessor Collector mike sullivan, nasa astronaut Bob Behnken, Johnson space Center Director ellen ochoa, U.s rep. Dr. Brian Babin, state rep.Dennis paul, Friendswood City Councilman and former astronaut mike Foreman, houston City Councilman Dave martin and Bay area houston economic partnership president Bob mitchell.
this duck knows where to build a nest egg -- at the door of JsC Federal Credit Union!
CleAr lAKe
UHCL fall registration. University of Houston-Clear Lake students should register for fall classes by 5 p.m. Aug. 19, with late registration available Aug. 20–29. Aug. 1 is the application deadline for new degree-seeking students to apply to attend the university, though specific programs may have other deadlines. Classes begin Aug. 22. First year student orientation is scheduled Aug. 4-5 and Aug. 19-20. For more information or to register for classes, visit www. uhcl.edu/academics and follow the “class schedule” tab or call the Admissions Office, 281-283-2500.
Symphony League Party Aug. 18
Houston Symphony League Bay Area will host its annual Wine and Cheese Party for prospective members from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18 at the home of Angie Weinman in Clear Lake.
Welcome Back Bash Aug. 26
UH-Clear Lake students, alumni, faculty, staff and their families will get together from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26 for their Welcome Back Bash.
Panhellenic Tea Aug. 28. Clear Lake Panhellenic will host its annual Fall Friendship Tea Sunday, Aug. 28, from 3 to 5 p.m. at Cathy Osoria’s home in Clear Lake.
Fashion Show Sept. 1. The Bay Oaks Women’s Association will host its Fall Fashion Show Luncheon at 10:30 a.m. at Bay Oaks Country Club.
Transportation Summit Sept. 1. The Galveston County Transportation Summit will convene at 10 a.m., Thursday, Sept. 1, at the Charles Doyle Convention Center, Texas City.
Chamber luncheon Aug. 31
Congressmen Brian Babin, Randy Weber and Pete Olson will be the
speakers when the Clear Lake Area Chamber hosts its monthly luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 31 at Lakewood Yacht Club in Seabrook. Reservations may be made by calling the chamber, 281-488-7676.
deer pArK
Luncheon honors teachers. The Deer Park Chamber will honor all the new teachers in Deer Park ISD at a Salute to Education from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 16, at Deer Park High School South Campus, 710 W. San Augustine Ave. For information, call Naomi at 281-479-1559
dICKInson
Gala at the Playhouse Aug. 15. Bay Area Harbour Playhouse will celebrate its 25th anniversary Saturday, Aug. 13, at the theatre, 3803 Highway 3, with its 25th annual gala, “A Night on Broadway.”. Evening includes dinner, silent auctions and singers and dancers presenting 25 years of music from Broadway’s greatest hits. $30 donation. Tickets available at the box office. For reservations, call 281-337-7469.
frIendsWood
Chamber luncheon Aug. 4. The Friendswood Chamber’s monthly luncheon will be at 11:30 a.m.
Thursday, Aug. 4, at the Green Event Center, 2000 W. Parkwood, Suite 200. For reservations, call the chamber, 281-482-3329 or email info@friendswoodchamber.com
Cost is $25 for members and $30 for non-members.
leAgue CIty
Teachers Luncheon Aug. 11. New teachers in the Clear Creek ISD schools will be honored by the Clear Lake Area Chamber at a luncheon in the South Shore Harbour Resort’s Crystal Ballroom at 11 a.m., marking the 50th anniversary of the event.
City Hall in the Park Aug. 16. League City is inviting residents to learn about their municipal government and share their opinions at the City Hall in the Park, from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 16, at Walker Street City Pool, 450 W, Walker. Besides informative updates by city officials, the theme will be Free Swim/Sno Cones.
Public meeting Aug. 17. League City will hold the second of two meetings on the Downtown Revitalization Project Wednesday, Aug. 17, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., at the Johnnie Arolfo Civic Center, 400 W. Walker St., so residents can air their concerns and offer feedback.
pAsAdenA
San Jac fall registration. San Jacinto College registration for Fall 2016 classes, which start Monday, Aug. 22, will be held Saturday, Aug. 13.
Livestock Show & Rodeo Aug. 13.
The Pasadena Livestock Show & Rodeo Auction is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13 at the Pasadena Convention Center and Fairgrounds, 7902 Fairmont Parkway.
Chamber luncheon Aug. 18. The Pasadena Chamber will host its monthly luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 18. For reservations, call 281-487-7871.
Spitfire Grill opens Aug. 26 The Spitfire Grill opens Friday, Aug. 26 at the Pasadena Little Theatre and continues weekends through Sept. 11 with curtains at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and Sunday matinees at 3 p.m., plus one Thursday show at 8 p.m. Sept. 8 -- a special Two-Can-Attend for $20 night. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for students and seniors. For reservations, reserve on line at www.pasadenalittletheatre.org or call 713-941-1758.
peArlAnd
Author to speak Aug. 6. An
Evening with N.Y. Times bestselling author DInesh D’Souza, hosted by the West Pearland Republican Women, will be held Saturday, Aug. 6, at the Hilton Garden Inn in Pearland. Registration required. Email Petterson-sherry@att.net
Chamber luncheon Aug. 18. The Pearland Chamber will host its monthly membership luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18 at the Hilton Garden Inn, 12101 Shadow Creek Parkway. Cost is $30 for members. For reservations, contact Cheryl Kepp at the chamber.
Wine & Food Festival Aug. 27. The 5th Annual Wine and Food Festival will be held Saturday, Aug. 27 from noon to 8 p.m. at the Pearland Town Center Pavilion, 11200 Broadway. Fees $30 in advance, $40 at the gate. Kick Off Party highlighting Texas Gulf Coast shrimp at 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26 at Dionisio, 2635 Miller Ranch Road #103, Pearland. Tickets are $75 per person and available through Eventbrite. All are invited to attend.
texAs CIty
COM registering. College of the Mainland is now taking applications for degree or certificate fall classes, offering different options – Credit Classes, Continuing Education Classes, or the COM 50 Plus Program. To apply, students should register at www.com.edu/apply by Aug. 10. First time students should meet with an advisor to register for New Student Orientation before registering. For more information, call 409-933-8264. Become a lifelong learner with continuing education or 50 Plus Program courses. Call 409-933-8586 or visit www.com. edu/ce.
